"When Ertegun founded Atlantic Records in 1947 with $10,000 borrowed from his dentist, the 24-year-old native of Turkey was living in segregated America, which did not realize the beauty of its own cacophony. Spanning six decades, this coffee-table history goes a little deeper than most. Ertegun's anecdotes are intermingled with those of his business associates and recording artists.

Atlantic's roster includes Ray Charles, Clyde McPhatter, the Drifters, Big Joe Turner, John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughan, Mabel Mercer, Bobby Darin, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Sam and Dave, Dusty Springfield, Led Zeppelin, Tori Amos and so on. There are nine essays by some of the most respected music journalists. Each nicely crystallizes the label's enormous contributions to R&B, jazz, rock 'n' roll, pop and soul."--BOOK JACKET.